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The Netherlands will grant asylum to most Afghan women and girls seeking protection, citing the continued erosion of women’s rights under Taliban rule, the Dutch government announced.
The decision was made by Dutch Asylum Minister Bart van den Brink after a new assessment by the Foreign Ministry concluded that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan had deteriorated further.
Under the revised policy, Afghan women and girls applying for asylum will qualify for a residence permit “in the vast majority of cases,” according to the ministry.
Van den Brink said the previous policy no longer adequately reflected the realities facing women in Afghanistan.
Afghan women had already been more likely to receive asylum if they could demonstrate that they were unable to comply with Taliban restrictions and therefore faced a risk of persecution. The new policy broadens that protection by recognizing the worsening conditions facing women and girls more generally.
The decision is based on a detailed Dutch Foreign Ministry report covering developments in Afghanistan between June 2023 and October 2025.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary schools and universities, restricting employment opportunities, and limiting their participation in public life.
The Dutch government cited in particular a morality law introduced in 2024 that further curtailed women’s freedom of movement and personal autonomy.
The policy change follows months of debate in the Netherlands over the treatment of Afghan asylum seekers. Dutch asylum authorities faced criticism in late 2025 after rejecting applications from several Afghan women.
At the time, then-Asylum Minister David van Weel argued that women could theoretically adapt to life under Taliban rule, a position that sparked public backlash and legal challenges.
In early 2026, Dutch immigration authorities reversed course and granted residence permits to four Afghan women whose cases had drawn national attention.
The number of Afghan asylum applications in the Netherlands has also risen in recent years. According to government figures, 760 Afghans applied for asylum in 2025, compared with 490 in 2024 and 670 in 2023.
The Dutch move comes as international concern over the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan continues to grow. The UN has described Taliban policies toward women as among the most restrictive in the world and has repeatedly called for the reversal of measures limiting education, employment and freedom of movement.
The decision was made by Dutch Asylum Minister Bart van den Brink after a new assessment by the Foreign Ministry concluded that conditions for women and girls in Afghanistan had deteriorated further.
Under the revised policy, Afghan women and girls applying for asylum will qualify for a residence permit “in the vast majority of cases,” according to the ministry.
Van den Brink said the previous policy no longer adequately reflected the realities facing women in Afghanistan.
Afghan women had already been more likely to receive asylum if they could demonstrate that they were unable to comply with Taliban restrictions and therefore faced a risk of persecution. The new policy broadens that protection by recognizing the worsening conditions facing women and girls more generally.
The decision is based on a detailed Dutch Foreign Ministry report covering developments in Afghanistan between June 2023 and October 2025.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary schools and universities, restricting employment opportunities, and limiting their participation in public life.
The Dutch government cited in particular a morality law introduced in 2024 that further curtailed women’s freedom of movement and personal autonomy.
The policy change follows months of debate in the Netherlands over the treatment of Afghan asylum seekers. Dutch asylum authorities faced criticism in late 2025 after rejecting applications from several Afghan women.
At the time, then-Asylum Minister David van Weel argued that women could theoretically adapt to life under Taliban rule, a position that sparked public backlash and legal challenges.
In early 2026, Dutch immigration authorities reversed course and granted residence permits to four Afghan women whose cases had drawn national attention.
The number of Afghan asylum applications in the Netherlands has also risen in recent years. According to government figures, 760 Afghans applied for asylum in 2025, compared with 490 in 2024 and 670 in 2023.
The Dutch move comes as international concern over the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan continues to grow. The UN has described Taliban policies toward women as among the most restrictive in the world and has repeatedly called for the reversal of measures limiting education, employment and freedom of movement.
